What is an MKV file?
MKV keeps a whole release in one file: the picture, several audio languages, subtitles and chapters. Desktop media players handle it well, browsers and phones often do not, so it is worth converting to watch it elsewhere. You can convert MKV files here, both into the format and out of it.
Specification
| Full name | Matroska Video |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .mkv |
| Media type | video/x-matroska |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode |
| Transparency | — |
| Animation | — |
| Multiple pages | — |
| Colour depth | — |
| Size limits | — |
| Introduced | 2002 |
| Developed by | Matroska community |
| Standard | Open |
| Browser support | Not displayed by browsers |
What MKV is used for
- Film and series releases with multiple languages and subtitles
- Archiving Blu-ray and DVD content without re-encoding
- Home media servers and set-top players
- Any project needing chapters, attachments or many tracks
Strengths and limitations
What MKV does well
- Holds unlimited audio, subtitle, chapter and attachment tracks
- Holds almost anything, and it is an open format still being maintained
- Resilient structure that can survive partial file corruption
Where MKV falls short
- Browsers do not support it, and many TVs and phones do not either
- Large multi-track files are unwieldy to share
- Cannot be streamed on a web page without repackaging it first
Convert MKV to
Every target this format can be written out as, each on its own page.
Convert to MKV
Everything that can be turned into a MKV file.
Tools that accept MKV
Questions about MKV
What is a .mkv file?
MKV keeps a whole release in one file: the picture, several audio languages, subtitles and chapters. The extension .mkv identifies it, and its media type is video/x-matroska.
How do I open an MKV file?
Browsers do not display MKV natively, so you either need software that understands it or you convert it to something more common first. Converting is usually the faster route when you only need to look at the contents once.
Is MKV lossy or lossless?
Lossy or lossless, depending on the mode. Check which mode a particular file used before assuming anything about its quality.
What is MKV good for?
Holds unlimited audio, subtitle, chapter and attachment tracks. Holds almost anything, and it is an open format still being maintained. Resilient structure that can survive partial file corruption. In practice that makes it a good fit for film and series releases with multiple languages and subtitles, and Archiving Blu-ray and DVD content without re-encoding.
What are the drawbacks of MKV?
Browsers do not support it, and many TVs and phones do not either. Large multi-track files are unwieldy to share. Cannot be streamed on a web page without repackaging it first.